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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26015122">Sparrow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/purple_bookcover/pseuds/purple_bookcover'>purple_bookcover</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Battle, Gen, lockpick, peculiarity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:27:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26015122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/purple_bookcover/pseuds/purple_bookcover</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You know, the funny thing about sparrows, they're not normally very territorial. But they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their nests. You have siblings, don't you, Little Sparrow?”</p><p>Ashe never wanted to learn how to pick locks, but some things were a matter of survival.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Peculiarity: FE Small Writer Zine</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sparrow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Peculiarity.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They battled back the bandits blocking the bridge. Sylvain and Ingrid raised their spears, leading the Blue Lions' charge onto the plateau. </p><p>Ashe held his position at the rear, trying to clear the way for the closer range fighters with his arrows. But Dimitri waved him forward. </p><p>“There's a chest,” Dimitri said. “Some sort of loot these bandits are keen to get their hands on. The professor says you can get it open and secure the treasure before they can. Is that true?” </p><p>Ashe struggled not to grimace. The battlefield was no place for hesitation, but he paused before answering, “Yeah, probably.” </p><p>Dimitri slapped his shoulder. “I'm not asking how or why. Are you willing to do it? Whatever's in that chest could be important. Felix will go with you to watch your back.” </p><p>Ashe exhaled the tension and shame that welled up at the mention of his latent lockpicking skill and nodded. Just how much had Byleth said? But whatever Dimitri knew, or guessed, he didn't regard Ashe with any particular judgment as he directed the archer to the chest across the plateau. </p><p>Felix led the way. Ashe's stomach tried to tie itself in knots as the sounds of the fight faded. </p><p>They found the chest nestled among the rubble of some sort of structure. Little remained of the building but tumbled stone, which Ashe clambered over to access the chest. Felix remained just outside, scanning for enemies. </p><p>“Hurry,” Felix said. Ashe could feel the swordsman's glare even from several paces away. “Are you going to be able to get into that thing?” </p><p>Ashe crouched before a chest secured with a heavy iron lock. It looked rock solid, at least to an untrained eye. To Ashe, it seemed like a child's toy. “No problem,” he said. </p><p>“Yeah, well, be quick about it. Someone's coming.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>#</p>
</div>“Someone's coming, Little Sparrow.”<p>Ashe squeaked, hands clenching around the cash box. </p><p>A boy kneeled down beside him in the alleyway. Ashe clutched the cash box to his chest, eyeing the strange older boy with the purple hair and eyes. His first thought was that the boy would use his larger size to steal what Ashe had already stolen. Something like that was fair play on the streets. </p><p>But the boy reached inside his coat rather than for Ashe. He held out a thin sliver of metal.</p><p>“What's that?” Ashe said. </p><p>“To most, a hairpin,” the boy say. “To you, life itself.”</p><p>The boy offered his hand. “Yuri.”</p><p>Ashe shook his fingers, keeping his other hand tight around his prize. “Ashe.”</p><p>The boy smiled, tilting his head like a curious bird. “Nice to meet you, Ashe. You're new to all this, huh? Don't worry. I'm going to teach you how to use this. You can hold onto the box if you like, but you do need to let me touch it.” </p><p>Ashe narrowed his eyes. Even just a couple moons on the streets had taught him to be wary of trusting anyone, especially the other children who roved the city in gangs. Yet this boy wasn't like the others. He didn't push. He didn't force. In fact, when he saw Ashe hesitate, he sat back on his heels, putting a little extra space between them. </p><p>“Why are you helping me?” Ashe said. </p><p>Yuri smiled as though to himself, tapping his lips. “You know, the funny thing about sparrows, they're not normally very territorial. But they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their nests. You have siblings, don't you, Little Sparrow?”</p><p>Ashe nodded. </p><p>“Then let's get that box open, shall we? Before that store keep gets here.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>#</p>
</div>Ashe smiled at the thin sliver of metal in his hand. Even with access to fancier tools, he still relied on just this. A hairpin to most, but not to him.<p>For him, it was the key to every cash box and chest and door in the world.</p><p>He fit it into the lock, feeling around for the pins that would release it. After only a few moments, he heard a click.</p><p>“They're coming,” Felix said. </p><p>“I got it,” Ashe said.</p><p>The lock fell away. Ashe opened the chest. Felix was watching him, blinking with surprise. </p><p>“How did you...” </p><p>Ashe just smiled. “Something a friend taught me.” </p><p>Felix shook his head before hurrying over to help Ashe with the spoils within the chest, large chunks of bullion that they had to stuff awkwardly into their pockets. No wonder the bandits wanted it so badly. There was a small fortune squirreled away in this chest. It made the contents of the cash boxes he'd pilfered as a child look pitiful. Though, back then, even a single coin had been a great treasure.</p><p>Ashe had to remind himself that things were different now. Even though he was still picking locks with hairpins, even though he was still a thief, still a sneak, now it was different. </p><p>Ashe and Felix rejoined their companions, who apparently had the battle well in hand. Ashe resumed his position on the back lines, taking out bandits trying to sneak in on the sides, striking them down before they could get close to his comrades and harm them. </p><p>Maybe things weren't so different after all. </p><p>Maybe he just had a bigger nest to protect.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm on <a href="https://twitter.com/purplebookcover">Twitter</a> (18+ please).</p><p>I respond to every comment. Thank you, friends!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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